Giftapalooza 2021 - First Look

  Okay, so 2021 is on its way out. Sure, it's still got a few huffs & puffs in the olde lungs, but there was snow here a couple of days ago so the holiday weather is definitely here. And with the change of seasons brings promise, brings hope.

  Although it has at times this year - see also 2020, and a goodly chunk of 2019 - been not the easiest thing to look forward with promise, with hope, we're still here, toughing it out & hanging in with you all. 

  Giftapalooza started out nearly a decade ago as a way to think of others, thank others, and to thank ourselves. Some of us are blessed to be surrounded by loved ones; some of us are by hook or crook on our own. When the chips are down we choose our community, and, occasionally, community chooses us.

  This year for Giftapalooza, we're going back to the basic thread that has tied our community together - yarn. We're bypassing selling fancy/flashy swag, and focussing on what we do best. That's not to say everyone might not get a small something extra in their package - let's face it, after the past couple of years we deserve it! - but this year the yarn is Boss.

  The official launch date of this year's Giftapalooza will be Thursday October 28, with the offerings being made available until Monday November 15. The same as last year, we're starting a week or two earlier than past years to give parcels more of a fighting chance of getting to their destinations before the holidays, as the postal systems here in Canada, the USA and internationally have not been able to operate at their full capacities.

  One of the most important to us features of Giftapalooza is the donation option - this is the visible portion of the promotion where help lies, be it for someone who has been surfing from one dumpster fire to another, whose world seems a little colder this year, or just giving something small to a friend - we will be continuing this tradition, so that light may shine just a little brighter in the forgotten corners.

  We'll have a full blog post later this week with all the pertinent links, guidelines & gifting quirks that Giftapalooza entails. If you're a long-standing Giftapaloozee, welcome back; if you're a Giftapalooza rookie, reach out on our social media channels, Slack & Ravelry and ask about what this is all about - there's always room for more in our community.

  That's it for now. Tune in later this week for all the shiny details.